


Unconditional love is the greatest gift we can give

by lydiamxrtin



Series: Merthurweek2020 [3]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:01:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28290561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lydiamxrtin/pseuds/lydiamxrtin
Summary: Day 4: “What are you hiding Merlin?” + FunArthur and Merlin exchange Christmas gifts and mischief ensues.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Merthurweek2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2069757
Comments: 4
Kudos: 58
Collections: Merthur Week 2020





	Unconditional love is the greatest gift we can give

**Author's Note:**

> This one is just pure Christmas fluff, very self-indulgent and I hope you guys enjoy! I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas Eve, if you don't celebrate Christmas then I hope you have a wonderful day as well!
> 
> -AJ 
> 
> Check out more work at @merthurweek2020 on tumblr!

Arthur strode down the hall, a small smile on his face as he nodded to the guards. They pulled the doors open as he stepped through, revealing a smiling merlin stood by the desk, his arms quickly thrown behind his back.

"Merlin," Arthur greeted, peeling off his gloves and placing them down on the table, "I thought I told you, you had Christmas off," He spoke, shrugging off his heavy jacket leaving him in just his red cotton shirt. 

Merlin opened his mouth before pulling his lips into a thin line, shaking his head. "Uhh yeah, I-I just came to see if you needed anything else?" He said, his brow raised.

Arthur looked over the boy,  _ did he looked nervous?  _ Arthur walked over to Merlin who moved from the desk, all the while keeping his back away from Arthur. Arthur shook his head, picking up his goblet of wine on the table taking a sip. __ "No, I'm fine, go enjoy your one night off before I change my mind," He joked. 

The court had had their meal together this morning, he had thought about asking Merlin to join him for dinner tonight but every time he opened his mouth to ask something stopped him. He decided to give Merlin the night off so he could spend it with Giuas. When he had told Merlin that he could have sworn he saw some disappointment on the warlocks face but that must of been his imagination right? He glanced back up at Merlin who was looking around the room, his hands still clasped behind his back, "Something the matter?" Arthur asked. Merlin just shook his head, shuffling to the side. Arthur tried to crane round to see behind Merlin's back but the young warlock just moved again, "Is there something behind your back?" He asked again, narrowing his eyes.

Merlin blew some air out between his lips, shaking his head again, "No, no uh it's nothing," Arthur nodded, casting his eyes down to the table pretending to look over the paperwork. He heard Merlin shuffle past him about to reach the large door when Arthur spun, grabbing a package from Merlin's hand holding it in the air. Merlin reached out to take it but Arthur moved back, looking down at it.

"What is this," Arthur asked, looking down. The package was wrapped in brown paper, a string wrapped around it.

"A Christmas present...for you," Merlin breathed, leaning against the large door, "I was just going to drop it here," He said, nodding towards the desk. Arthur looked back down at the package, a smile growing on his face. "Merry Christmas Sire" Merlin quickly said, going to leave the room when Arthur reached out with his other hand, grabbing Merlin's arm.

"Merlin wait," He said. The boys looked at each other for a moment before Arthur let go, his hand feeling clammy. Arthur moved over to his desk, pulling open a draw and taking over a small box, slowly walking over Merlin holding it out.

Merlin just blinked down at it, then back up at Arthur, "You got me...A Christmas present," He grinned, stepping further into the room.

A warmth spread across Arthur's cheeks, as he looked down at his boots, "It's nothing, just something small," Merlin kept smiling at him and Arthur crossed his arms over his chest to stop them for fidgetting. "Consider it a year's celebration of you being court sorcerer," He rambled, waving his hand off to the side.

Merlin laughed, his eye's shinning, "Since when did you get sentimental," he teased. Merlin walked over to the table and sat down, holding the package in his hand, Arthur doing the same thing but on the other side. He watched as Merlin pulled the box open, peering inside. The smile from his face dropped, he reached into the box and pulled out a small brooch. He watched as Merlin ran his thumb over the golden dragon crest, its wings out. "I-I thought only the knights could wear these," Merlin said quietly.

"I'm King, I can do what I like," Arthur smirked, causing a shy smile to grow on Merlin's lips. Arthur pushed himself out from the chair, walking over to where Merlin sat. He perched on the edge of the table, reaching down and taking the brooch from Merlin's hands, their fingers brushing past each other. He unpinned the back, leaning down to place the pin on Merlin's shirt, "You've proven yourself to be loyal, and a man of honour," He said as he fastened the breastpin, "One of great bravery," He finished.

He let his fingers linger on Merlin's shirt before pulling back, his hands falling into his lap.

"Thank you, Arthur," Merlin breathed, looking up at the king with a beaming smile. 

Arthur nodded, going back over to his side of the table, holding his own packaged up and shaking it, trying to work out what it was. He untied the string, pulling the brown paper off. Arthur's hands froze above the gift. On the table was a golden crown, small ruby diamonds were mounted in small spikes that went around the crown. On the front was the same dragon emblem that Merlin had on his pin. "How-how did you get this made?" Arthur breathed, picking up the crown and admiring every part of it. He looked over at Merlin who had a bashful smile on his face,  _ magic.  _ Arthur nodded, holding the crown up to the candle on the table, watching as the flames danced in the reflection of the rubies. "I thought after all the changes this year maybe this could be another one," Merlin finally said, "If you wanted to I mean I just-"

"It's perfect," Arthur gasped, blinking away a few years that had gathered in the corner of his eyes.

"Really?" Merlin said, letting out a deep breath.

"Yeah, it's beautiful Merlin I-" Arthur just shook his head, unable to think of words that would do justice to how thankful he was. He carefully placed the crown back down, "Thank you," he said, the words were simple but it was all Arthur could say, the emotion in his voice saying everything he couldn't.

Merlin stood up from the table, walking around the room before coming to a stop by the window. Merlin just looked out the window for a moment, he looked down at his open hand, his eyes flickering to life as a cold snowball appeared in his hand, "Is there something else?" Arthur asked, from behind him.

Merlin turned around again, his hands clasped behind his back just like he had done before.

Arthur laughed, "What are you hiding Merlin?" He said, going to take a step closer to Merlin, when he launched the snowball towards the king, it colliding with his face as the remains of it landed on the table next to him. Arthur just blinked as the snow dropped down his face, "Did you." Arthur reached up, wiping the rest of the snow off, "Did you just hit me with a snowball," he asked, his voice sounding serious but Merlin would hear the playfulness behind it.

Merlin just smirked, "No," he said in a way that certainly meant yes. He strode towards Arthur, "Must just be Christmas magic," He teased, reaching down and picking up the crown on the table, "My King," Merlin finished, placing the crown on Arthur's head. Merlin's hand moved down to rest on Arthur's shirt, his fingers smoothing over the fabric beneath. He could feel Arthur's heart beating fast, faster than normal. They locked eyes neither moving a muscle. Merlin wrapped his fingers around the fabric and started to pull Arthur towards him. If there was any day to take a risk for something you wanted Christmas was it. Arthur moved forward, his head leaning forward as Merlin closed his eyes. 

As soon as he did cold, wet snow struck his face. Merlin peeled his eyes open to see a smug Arthur staring at him, the remains of the snow still on his fingers.

Merlin gave a small pout, "You really had to ruin the moment like that," He said, his head cocked to the side.

"You started it." Arthur joked, reaching out and grabbing the lapels of Merlins jacket and pulling him towards him before he could speak. Their lips crashed towards, cold snowflakes still clung to their lips but neither cared. They pulled apart after a moment, Arthur's hand coming down to rest on Merlin's crest. 

"Merry Christmas prat," Merlin hummed, earning a laugh from his king.

"Merry Christmas Merlin," Arthur replied. The snow began to fall outside but neither noticed, too lost in their own private Christmas, the gifts they wore reminders of the Kingdom they built together.


End file.
